Send me email updates about messages I've received on the site and the latest news from The CafeMom Team.
By signing up, you certify that you are female and accept the Terms of Service and have read the
Privacy Policy.

Have you ever left your baby in the car, even for a minute or two? Read about the mom who left a "just in case note"!

In what has to be one of the worst parenting fails any of us have seen in a long time, a New Zealand mom left her newborn locked in the car while she went shopping at the supermarket. (Wait, there's more.)

She also left a note pinned to the kid along with her phone number, you know -- just in case someone passed by and thought the baby might need her.

(You seriously can't make this stuff up.)

Oh yeah, did I
mention that the note was written from the baby's point of view? It
said, "My mum's in doing the shopping, call her if I need anything."

A couple noticed the child and told the New Zealand Herald,
"We waited there for a little bit, wondering if the mum was just going
to be two seconds and come back. And my wife said, 'I'm not going in
without someone being here with the baby.'"

Long story short, a few more witnesses turned up, and the mom was
eventually called to return to the car and her sleeping newborn. Then
someone posted a photo of the baby on Facebook and now it's understandably all over the place.

And when I first saw it, I had the same reaction most moms probably
will: "What the hell was she thinking? Who leaves their newborn baby
alone in the car to go shopping?"

But then I thought about it a little bit more and tried to put myself
in her shoes -- and that's when I started feeling a certain degree of
compassion for her. Yes, leaving the baby in the car
was a majorly dumb move, but come on -- how many of us made a really
stupid decision or two when we were exhausted, overwhelmed new mothers?

I know my judgement was clouded on more than one occasion for sure in
the first few weeks after I had my son. And while I never would've gone
so far as to leave him in the car to go shopping, I can sort of
understand why this mom chose to do so. I mean, she did leave a note, after all, so she must care about her baby's well being to some extent, right?

If I had to guess, one of two scenarios probably went down. Either
the baby was fast asleep when she pulled into the supermarket parking
lot and she was fearful of waking her, or she needed to run in and grab a
few items, and she figured it would be easier without the baby and that she'd only be gone for a matter of minutes.

(Don't lie -- you've had the same thought before on occasion too.
Granted, most of us would never actually leave the baby in the car, but
if you say the thought never briefly crossed your mind, I don't believe
you.)

Ok, ok, so I'm definitely not excusing what this mom did -- I'm only
saying we should cut her a little slack, given the fact that she's a
newbie. I'm sure that after a few weeks of that baby sleeping through the night, she won't hesitate to bring her into the store next time.

^ See, I can see that, in a small town, or even if you live in a safe area but don't know everyone. I live in a big city, and I wouldn't even feel comfortable with my kid being in our yard by herself. I guess that sort of thing needs to be taken into account before anyone labels mothers as neglectful or overprotective.

Depends where we are. In our small town where I know everyone, for a minute or two while I can see the vehicle, yes. In our driveway a good 1/4 mile from the road and you can't even see our parking area from the road, yes. When we drive to the nearest large city for the stuff we can't get around here, HELL TO THE NO, not for a second.

Never. My oldest is almost 9 and Im just starting to let him stay in the car if im running in somewhere for a min and only if I can still see my car. If I do that, I bring my brand new baby with me i dont leave her in there with him. As celestialsong said though, each situation is very different and some scenerios i can understand. No I do not think its ok what that mother did in new zealand, I dont care how laxed it is there, that is just wrong on so many levels. It makes me think of that poor little girl that was taken in Brazil a few years ago. She was left in her hotel room sleeping while the parents were having dinner and drinks. They still havent found her.

Me too. If I did leave my baby in the car to do grocery shopping (which I don't, but others here do), if she woke and started crying whoever noticed would probably come in and tell me. I've done it for someone else. And waited with her older child and cart while she ran out to get him. Everybody really does know everyone around here. Weather is a concern. Kidnapping isn't.

Quoting jamamama00:

Where I'm from, it is common and totally acceptable to leave kids in the car while you run into the store, pay for gas, etc

Are you in a small town? I am from a very rural farming and ranching community, where literally everyone knows everyone else. Do you ever feel like the "city moms" on here have NO idea that people exist outside of their little bubble? Where I grew up, we teach kids to drive at an early age. We leave them alone even earlier. Our kids are encouraged to explore and wander. I've had conversations w moms on here who act horrified about these things. It's just our way of doing things

Quoting tyrelsmom:

Me too. If I did leave my baby in the car to do grocery shopping (which I don't, but others here do), if she woke and started crying whoever noticed would probably come in and tell me. I've done it for someone else. And waited with her older child and cart while she ran out to get him. Everybody really does know everyone around here. Weather is a concern. Kidnapping isn't.

Quoting jamamama00:

Where I'm from, it is common and totally acceptable to leave kids in the car while you run into the store, pay for gas, etc

When she was a baby we did when we were unloading groceries. Now sometimes I will lock the car while I run in to get the mail or pay for gas. If it's too hot or cold I won't leave her in there even for the minute it takes to run inside.

Send me email updates about messages I've received on the site and the latest news from The CafeMom Team.
By signing up, you certify that you are female and accept the Terms of Service and have read the
Privacy Policy.